Killer Crab!

[pepito113]

So after my 65g tank cycled I added just a small amount of CUC around 6 days ago. 10 turbo snails, 5 red legged hermit crab and 1 sally lightfoot. Today I was at my LFS and saw a cleaner shrimp and decided to get it. After a 3 hour drip acclimation i added the shrimp to the tank. He was doing fine until one hour into the tank my sally lightfoot was fighting with me. So i moved the shrimp to the other side. Now when I get home the shrimp is dead and it looks like the sally is eating him. So is my sally a bully? Is he going to kill and possible eat other inverts I want to add? I was told sally are peaceful and could be kept with other inverts and shrimps.

 

[mrdc]

I've read that they can be bullies especially when they get bigger. They are very quick too so I can see how they could catch a skunk cleaner.

 

[scsinet]

Are you certain that the shrimp didn't just molt and the crab was picking at the discarded exoskeleton?
Shrimp usually go into hiding after molting, so it is entirely possible that this is what is going on and you just haven't found the shrimp yet. When they molt, the shell is left in a conspicuous place to lure predators while thier new exoskeleton hardens.

 

[pepito113]

Yeah they are quick. He wouldnt let go the shrimp and could take him under the rocks. I like to watch him and would like to keep him, but not at the expense of other inverts in the tank. Anyone else has had problems?

 

[mrdc]

I was thinking about the molt but thought it might be premature for him to molt after only one hour in the tank.

 

[pepito113]

Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/3265626
Are you certain that the shrimp didn't just molt and the crab was picking at the discarded exoskeleton?
Shrimp usually go into hiding after molting, so it is entirely possible that this is what is going on and you just haven't found the shrimp yet. When they molt, the shell is left in a conspicuous place to lure predators while thier new exoskeleton hardens.
No I am sure it did not molt. I finally got the shrimp from the crab. And It was the whole thing. Minus what he ate. I wish it was the old shell.

 

[mproctor4]

I had one for several years that got very large and ate a orchid dottyback and a peppermint shrimp. I will never have sally lightfoots again! I just found a hitch hicker gorilla crab that I saw ripping apart my frogspawn

I also had several mushrooms that mysteriously dissapeared----that crab went for a long swim.

 

[oneradtek]

yup sally lightfoots have an attitude, id stay away from them

 

[meowzer]

I have one slf in each of my tanks....so far (knocks on wood) I have never seen any of them go after anything....